West Ham’s bid to move to the Olympic Stadium is a “slap in the face” for their fans and their history, Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn claims.

The Hammers yesterday lodged a bid to lease the Olympic Stadium for 99 years after their original bid to move to the London 2012 showpiece collapsed last year following a number of complaints.

Leyton Orient originally bid for the stadium but withdrew their candidacy yesterday, with Hearn arguing the arena, which will be converted to a 60,000-seater ground following the Olympics, is not fit for football, mainly due to the running track which organisers say must remain.

The Hammers are confident they will be able to fill the stadium regularly and create a vibrant atmosphere to match the one they currently have at Upton Park, but Hearn thinks otherwise.

“This represents a quantum change in the experience of a football punter and frankly it could be the demise of West Ham if they move there,” Hearn told Press Association Sport.

“It’s a huge slap in the face to their fans and their history.

“The stadium is a magnificent athletics stadium, a magnificent building. It’s just not built for football.

“The pitch is 40 to 50 yards away from the front row of seats. I personally find that abhorrent.

“It is designed for athletics. Football grounds have steep stands but this one doesn’t. The view from the lower tier is dreadful.”

West Ham, currently third in the npower Championship, insist they will only move to Stratford if the stadium is converted in to a “world-class” ground after the Games.

The club’s board are confident they have the ability to make the move financially viable due to their business acumen – even if the club are not promoted to the Barclays Premier League this season.

Their commitment to keep the running track has ensured they received the support of UK Athletics, with London having been awarded the 2017 World Athletics Championships

West Ham last night hit back at Hearn’s claims, saying in a statement: “While others spend their time speculating on our plans we are focusing only on the long-term prosperity of our great club and how we can take it to the next level for the benefit of our loyal and deserving fans.

“We will ensure that we make our vision a reality should we get the opportunity to do so.

“Our aim is to sell out a 60,000 stadium and we have a plan to do it.

“Other people’s five favourite words might be ’What’s in it for me’, while West Ham’s are ’What’s in it for us’.

“We want a world-class stadium fit for football, not the stadium that is there today, but one that will be first-class for football in 2014.

“To have no vision is to have no dream. We have the vision and we’ll realise the dream.”

The OPLC are expected to announce a verdict before this summer’s Games, which start in July.